A Few Minutes with the Mayor – October 2021
With October and November upon us, I’m feeling hope and a sense of moving forward to a season of renewal.
Hopefully, we will see the last of wildfires and smoke. Hopefully too, children are back in school and happily occupied in academics, social development, sports and other extracurricular activities. Hopefully also, we are seeing smaller numbers of death and cases of COVID-19. That may be wishful thinking, but I remain hopeful. With a bit of optimism, we are moving forward as a small city, connected by what brought us to Jacksonville in the first place.
Some of you were born here, perhaps backed by several generations of family settling in the area and building traditions in Jacksonville. Some of us moved here, caught by that special “something” about Jacksonville that captured our hearts or minds. Whatever reason brought us together in this special place doesn’t really matter, we are here, living, thriving and hopeful for the future.
In May, I wrote a questionnaire asking for your ideas on Jacksonville. I stated, “I’m continually looking for ways to promote Jacksonville and retain some semblance of normal for those of us who live and work here.” This month I would like to share some of your replies. As I don’t have enough space to reprint all the letters in their entirety, I am sharing snippets of each subject.
The questions I asked are:
- How would you describe Jacksonville to someone who has never visited?
“Jacksonville is a small town with a tremendous amount of charm and quaintness, along with a peaceful and serene atmosphere. Along with these qualities, there is an energy and drive which shows that this is a town that will have a positive impact on the area, both in its livability for its residents, while offering a vibrant and exciting destination for all visitors to experience.”
“Someone who does not live here cannot possibly understand our Old West ambiance, the feeling of belonging to the community. It is truly beyond my ability to describe, even with a thesaurus full of adjectives! I visited one time and that was all it took for me to move here. So, one can attempt to describe our charming, intimate little town, but there are no appropriate words. We are, in a word, indescribable!”
“When we were thinking of moving to southern Oregon, people told me Jacksonville was a cute, small historic town with nice people. I decided to stop by and what I found, was exactly that. Walkable, cute shops, restaurants, lovely trails, historic homes and buildings, and a town dotted with small parks.”
“We are small, but not too small. We are historic, but also keep the modern conveniences like a grocery, a hardware store, banks, gift shops, taverns, and some of the best restaurants around. We walk everywhere, taking our dogs with us!”
- What Jacksonville spot do you show-off to your out-of-town guests?
“The historic buildings of the downtown area and the surrounding streets. The Britt Pavilion and the hiking trails surrounding it. The local wineries. My favorite restaurants: Back Porch, Jacksonville Inn, Las Palmas, The Mustard Seed. ALL great spots, both for the food and the staffs of each restaurant.”
“When people come here to visit, I direct them to, obviously, the downtown area but also to Britt, the trails, and also the cemetery. During the pandemic, we noticed many people utilizing the historic cemetery as a place to walk and spend time with their family.”
Almost every letter mentioned our historic structures and historic downtown, BRITT, Forest Park, Woodland trails, Shopping, restaurants, and outdoor activities. Other mentions were of our dog park and the general friendliness of Jacksonville.
- What is your favorite place for just you?
“The hiking trails around the Britt and the Forest Park area. Forest Park, very quiet and shaded by the overhanging trees, with the sounds of Jackson Creek from below. Walking through the Cemetery, reading some of the gravestones. Seeing the monument of a person born in 1864, the Civil War still raging, and passing on in 1948. Thinking of the life changes this person experienced. Very thought provoking.”
Responders mentioned their favorites included all our city parks, Britt Trails, Forest Park, walks around town, our historic cemetery. A large portion love spending private time in their homes and gardens.
- How can we provide a great place to live and still be attractive to tourists? Most people did not respond to this question.
“Maybe enhancing what we already have is a good idea. People come for the small town feel, shops, restaurants, and also places to hike and walk, sit and chat, and have their families gather and play. Hopefully, with the economy picking up we can add more restaurants and shops to our community, with more outdoor seating and small green spaces, still in keeping with our historic look and feel.”
A small number of folks were not shy about expressing dismay with the whole idea of tourism or any kind of change. A few of you sent ideas about improvements for traffic, tourism, types of business’s allowed, litter and other concerns. I will attempt to address that type of question through both this column and our Council Work Sessions in the new year.a
- What attracted you to Jacksonville? Is “it” still here?
Almost all of you who responded stated that “It,” the quality that brought you to Jacksonville, is still here. That’s important because it shows we are still happy here, despite COVID-19, the fear of fire, and living with smoke. Respondents are still very enthusiastic about living in Jacksonville even after moving here a few decades ago. You remain loyal shoppers and diners. A new shop or a new restaurant provide excitement and anticipation on the town “party line” in a good way. New goods and menus provide the same. You remain active and interested in what goes on in Jacksonville. You remain committed to Civic and Volunteer organizations. Physical activities are continually popular. The variety of outdoor activities alone is a source of interest for everyone of any level of fitness. One thing mentioned frequently is the ability to walk your dog, in any weather, on our streets and trails. People are happy to find several active churches; with many opportunities to worship, meet new friends and serve your community. One wonderful letter addressed our old Pioneer Days Celebration, complete with a full outline of activities and ideas. I was truly impressed with the thought put into that letter. Thank you, A.S.!
It looks like we, as a city, are still heading in the right direction, with some improvement to work on. Thank you all for your support and ideas. I take them all seriously and look forward to implementing a few positive changes and enjoying life here in Jacksonville.
Please see page 3 of this issue for information about the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics, sponsored by the Oregon Health Authority. The clinics will be held in the upstairs Assembly Room at New City Hall.
This issue also features on pages 16-17, the revised Emergency Evacuation Checklist & Map and the Citizen’s Emergency Guide developed through our City Council Work Sessions. Further information related to our revised Comprehensive Safety Plan may be found in a related article by Councilor Andrea Thompson on the next page.
In the meantime, outside of the mayor’s office, I plan on enjoying the fall season. For me, fall is always a transitional season of making a mental shift from summer to winter. Fall is hopeful and full of anticipation of shorter days, cleaning up our garden, picking apples and pumpkins, enjoying a cozy fire to relax by, anticipating wonderful chili and soup dinners, and good books. I sincerely hope you all enjoy the fall season and renewed hope too.
Donna Bowen is the current Mayor of Historic Jacksonville, Oregon. Please contact Mayor Bowen with any topics you would be interested in hearing more about in this column at mayor@jacksonvilleor.us.